Brenda Bayliss, who posted a comment on Verdict, has proved to be a diligent and accurate genealogist of the Hill family, from whom her husband is descended. It was rather remarkable that she tracked me down through this website which hitherto has only mentioned Bellew family history.
Incidentally, like Nero Wolfe who seldom left his brownstone in Manhattan, she has uncovered everything without leaving Queensland. I am going to combine the results of her research with that of my first cousin and some additional material of my own.
My maternal grandfather, Edward Eustace Hill, was an Anglican clergyman, sometime Chaplain to the Bishop of Bombay who I can just remember coming to Barmeath when I was three or four. He is named after his grandfather, Edward Eustace Hill, who served in the 96th Regiment of Foot. EEH married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev John Kennedy and Letitia Carew of Carlow, Ireland. They had four children born in Ireland and a daughter, Letitia, born in Nova Scotia while his regiment was posted there. He also served in the Peninsula War and died in Glasgow in 1835. To digress, Letitia’s husband came to a sticky end; he shot himself in the head in Taylors Hotel in New York.
EEH’s widow, Elizabeth Hill, died at 18 Grove Place (now Beauchamp Place) Knightsbridge at the end of November 1845. One of her sons, my great great uncle, lived much of his life in Australia but fortuitously was present when she died, as is attested on her death certificate. (Cause of death: chronic inflammation of the larynx and trachea.) She is buried in Brompton Cemetery and I walked there from Beauchamp Place to seek her grave. By a strange coincidence it turned out to be within ten yards of the grave of an old friend of mine, Robert Döry whose burial I attended in 2012, little knowing the proximity of my great, great grandmother.
Her headstone is illegible but, from the detailed map of the cemetery with precise bearings for every grave, I worked out that it is the right hand one of this pair. It is gratifying that this part of the cemetery is so well mown but disappointing that so many gravestones from the mid 19th century are illegible. To pinpoint the headstone I had recourse to the cemetery database. There are two entries. The first records her burial on 1st December 1845.
Look closely in the right hand column where there is a big K. It reads “Common Grave” but the “Common” has been crossed out and changed to “Private”. This is not a typo as further delving in the records reveals.
Thomas Liley and Ann Crouch were buried in the same grave a few days earlier. My guess is that it was immediately decided to buy the plot and move her son, William, who had died aged nineteen a few years earlier, from his original resting place to join her on 9th December 1845. William was serving as an Ensign in the 40th Regiment and Brenda’s enquiries into his early death are on-going.
Hello Christopher,
I am the GG GRANDSON ofJohn Kennedy Hill (son on EE Hill)so I guess the makes you a cousin of mine.
I have information on John Kennedy Hill and his descendants.
Cheers,
Terry Jones
Australia
Thank you for getting in touch, Terry. I will share your message with my first cousin, Caroline, who is the Hill historian.
Our Hill grandfather’s father-in-law, so my great-grandfather, was the first Bridge Master of Tower Bridge – there is a post about him: Bertie Angelo Cator.
John Thomas Kennedy Hill came to Australia(Melbourne, then Port Phillip) in the early 1840’s as a young man of around 20 years old.
He married Hanora Sullivan.
He was a successful Publican at a young age and went to the UK in 1847 which marries up with his mothers death.
My great grandmother was born on the way back to the UK on the ship Abbertonia, her name was Mary-Ann Abbertonia Hill.
He returned to Australia during the Gold Rush and establish a Hotel and river crossing punt called the Emu Bush Hotel in what is now known as Shepparton a large country town in the state of Victoria.
He died young in North Melbourne. What is interesting that some of his children and grandchildren died young from Brights Disease (Kidney Disease)
When I have looked back at descendants a lot of them died young.
Hello Christopher,
I hope you and your family are well. I did read about your family and my GGG uncle with great interest.
Is there a possibility you may ask your relative who researches the Hill family to contact me as I would love to have a family related insight into our family.
I showed our local family the home of Elizabeth Hill(Kennedy) they were very grateful of the picture. I am sure I have walked that street.
I have travelled extensively around the UK and Ireland and have mystically been drawn to many towns where my ancestors lived without knowing in advance they have lived there.
I would really appreciate it if you could help me.
My contact details are:
Terry Jones
2 Dartmouth Court
Kialla(Shepparton)
Victoria Australia
3631
+61419195998
My GG Grandmother was:
Mary Anne Abbertonia Hill (Married Edward Peacock)
Born on board the ship Abbertonia near South America on the return to The UK in 1845. They returned to Australia to capitalise on the Gold Rush in the 1850’s and established the Emu Bush Inn and Punt on the Goulburn River at SHEPPARTON(then Maguire Punt) in the State of Victoria.
Cheers to my cousin,
Terry Jones
A picture of me
I am sorry my photo did not work
Hello again Christopher,
Do you have a photograph of :
COL. F.J.P Hill your GG Grandfather to share with us here In Australia as we have no images of our Hill Ancestors?
Thank you in anticipation.
Cheers, Terry
Thank you Christopher, Our family member has contacted me and we have already exchanged correspondence. I have also been introduced to another Hill Family member in Australia.
Thank you again for your help,
Cheers, Terry